


Reunion

by laetificat



Category: X-Men (Comicverse), X-Treme X-Men
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 13:06:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18499576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laetificat/pseuds/laetificat
Summary: Hercules and James have a moment together in the forest.





	Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Set during X-Treme X-Men #10.

The jungle is full of the roar of the waterfall and the scents of alien flowers, thick and heavy blooms weighing down long blue-green vines or hidden in thickets of dark leaves. Strange insects burr back and forth amongst the undergrowth on jewelled wings; somewhere overheard birds are calling, occasionally joined by the staccato yelps and coughing roars of some larger animal. The air beneath the trees is humid and warm, what little wind there was out by the lake caught and held by the dense vegetation. 

It is as far from Canada as any place could possibly be, but James feels almost at home. Though that may not be, he thinks, due to the trees and distant mountains, but rather the familiar sight of his lover moving through the undergrowth before him. 

Hercules’ honey-gold skin is still damp from the lake water and sweat brought out by the jungle heat, droplets rolling over the muscles of his shoulders and down his spine. James admires the wetted curls of his hair and the way his shorts cling to his ass, riding up a little with each loping step; he drinks in the sight of those long thighs, the curves of his hips and shoulders and the angle of his furred jaw as he turns his head a little to see if James is keeping up. . 

“What are you --” is all Hercules manages to get out before James surges forward, hitting his chest and sending him back into the trunk of a tree hard enough to shake the branches and send flower petals and leaves raining down around them. Hercules laughs, of course, as they fall together to the floor of the forest; it’s one of the things James loves most about him, those rich peals of joy, freely and generously given. Even in the pits of Tartarus he had found reasons to laugh, and that had perhaps been what had truly saved them both during those long years of madness and violence. 

Hercules spreads his hands under James’ thighs to lift him easily up his body, meeting his mouth in a hungry kiss as James straddles him. He tastes the same as he always does: like grapes growing in warm sunlight, like the smell of olive groves and heated marble. His beard brushes over James’ lips. His skin is hot and wet against James’ chest and belly; his fingers dig into James’s buttocks. James slides his palms up Hercules’ sides and breaks the kiss to taste the sweat on Hercules’ neck, enjoying the way it makes him growl and lift his hips, already hard. Another thing that James loves: his lust is as bountiful as his joy.

“Been gone too long,” James sighs between kisses, an apology and regret he cannot stop himself voicing.

“It was not your choice,” Hercules replies, his mighty chest rising and falling under James as they begin to move together, falling into familiar rhythm. James takes a moment to breathe and gather himself: he had not expected to be forgiven so easily.

Hercules slips a hand up his back, into his hair. Pulls him back a little to look in his eyes, a godling sprawled on dark earth as if awaiting a painter to capture him; James feels gratitude tight in his throat. 

“I never doubted we would be together again,” Hercules says, the truth of his words shining in his expression. “And I do not mean for it to happen again while I live.” 

James turns his face to rest his cheek against Hercules’ palm, inhaling the smell of the jungle, the earth and the man who means more to him than any victory. He thinks of the fight ahead and behind, the worlds they’ve spanned. The ghosts and worse that stalk their heels.

“Nor do I,” he growls, and lets Hercules pull him down into his embrace.


End file.
